Back in the hunt: Stars get performance they need to crush Blackhawks

DALLAS -- If the Stars are going to get to where they want to get, they kinda needed a big night Tuesday.
After getting just that in the form of a 6-1 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, now the question becomes whether they can really build on the momentum that was present at American Airlines Center and start stringing wins together.

Dallas jumped off to a great start and never took its foot off the gas. Joel Kiviranta scored 1:40 into the game off a sweet feed from Roope Hintz, and by the end of the night, Jason Robertson tied a franchise rookie record with four assists, and 11 different players tallied a point. It was a breakthrough performance, and also one that actually was just building on what the team has been doing for a few weeks.
"I have been telling you guys for a month now that we are doing a lot of good things offensively, but the puck just wasn't going in," Stars coach Rick Bowness said of the team's struggles. "So, the only difference tonight was that the puck went into the net. We didn't change anything, and we created the same opportunities that we have been doing for the last couple of weeks. The only difference was that the puck went in. So, that was really good to see."
The Stars had a 37-22 advantage in shots on goal and a 60-36 edge in shot attempts. They once again topped 20 scoring chances, and finally cashed in by converting those chances to goals.

"Great win. We played great hockey," said defenseman John Klingberg. "I think we played real well, and obviously, today we scored some goals, which is nice and fun."
Chicago goalie Malcolm Subban struggled with rebound control at times, but the Stars also were relentless in getting the puck to the net. Kiviranta's goal was a bang-bang shot off transition. Jamie Oleksiak's goal was off a hard rebound in transition. Klingberg's goal was a whistler through a crowd on the power play. Joe Pavelski scored off his own rebound on a breakaway. Esa Lindell shot through a screen while pushing in from the blue line. And Roope Hintz batted a rebound out of the air for the Stars' final goal, his sixth of the season.
It was a constant parade to the high-danger scoring areas, and it was a reward for a team that had been frustrated in previous outings. Dallas had 38 shots on goal and 22 scoring chances in a 4-3 shootout loss to Nashville Sunday. They have averaged 30.3 shots on goal per game over the past seven outings, but haven't always been rewarded for those efforts.
Several players have been in scoring slumps, including Jamie Benn and Denis Gurianov, but some positivity is washing over the team, as they now have 15 goals in their past three games.
So have they shrugged a few monkeys off of the backs of certain players?

"We certainly hope so," said Bowness. "We keep saying: 'We're doing wonderful things, but the puck's not going in the net.' You get tired of hearing that. At some point, it had to break, and it broke tonight. It comes back to the perseverance of the players."
Also encouraging is the fact the team does find a way to have positive vibes even during the tough times. Klingberg's fiancée, Fanny, had a baby Sunday morning, and Stars players greeted Klingberg with a personalized No. 3 "Daddy" jersey for Tuesday's game. When Klingberg scored in the second period, Pavelski retrieved the puck as a keepsake for the Klingberg family and daughter, Elsa.
"Like I said before, we are brothers," Klingberg said. "We have been through a lot together, ups and downs. We are sticking up for each other and helping each other out. It's nice to see that he goes to pick up the puck. It's going to be a special memory for me."
Likewise, teammates were there to support Robertson in his four-point outing and also to support Benn, who tallied the 700th point of his NHL career on Tuesday.
"We are very close, we are a family," Bowness said. "Everyone is thrilled for Klinger. We are all happy for them, but that's how close of a family we are in this team. Good things happen to good people, and we support each other. That's what you expect to see."

Of course, in the what-have-you-done-for-me-lately world of professional sports, another challenge awaits on Thursday. Beat the Blackhawks again, and all of the sudden the prospect of catching them in the standings looks a little more realistic. After all, Chicago is just 10 points ahead right now and Dallas has six games in hand. Imagine if they were just eight points ahead on Friday and the Stars had the potential to add 12 more points.
Now you're talking.
The key is, they have to find the same energy, the same determination, and the same perseverance that helped fuel Tuesday's win.
"That's the plan," Bowness said when asked if his team can repeat this effort. "The puck finally went in for us tonight. It's good to see. Where we are in the battle for a playoff spot, you get about an hour to enjoy this. We'll bring them in tomorrow, and we'll get focused on Thursday night. Can we bring it again? We are going to have to. Tonight puts us back in the playoff hunt."
And that's a wonderful feeling for all involved.

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Up next

vs. Blackhawks; Thursday 7:30 p.m. CT
American Airlines Center
TV:FOX Sports Southwest
Radio:The Ticket 96.7-FM, 1310-AM
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heikais a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika, and listen to his podcast.